Prior to printing business cards, invitations, envelopes, and other customized printed materials and objects, printers receive customization information and manually create an information file from which to print. For example, when printing business cards, a customer can first provide the printer with contact information, logo(s), and additional customization information or instructions. A typesetter then enters and formats the information and logo(s) to create a digital file of the business card. The digital file can include raw information, specially formatted information, or a digital representation of the business card. Although somewhat uncommon, customers may directly provide a digital file of the business card to the printer, possibly eliminating the need to manually enter the information into the printer's computer system.
The digital file can be saved and used to print a plurality of cards, invitations, envelope, or other objects with the customization information. The digital file is therefore also available at a later date when additional printed objects are ordered. In some instances, the digital file may be transferred to or owned by the customer for their own printing needs.
Upon receipt of the printed business cards, the customer can distribute the cards to a variety of recipients. A recipient can then file the business card in a physical file system or transfer the information to an electronic address book or contact system. Typically, a business card recipient will manually enter the information into an electronic program, such as Microsoft Outlook or IBM Lotus Notes, to save the information. In one example, a digital vCard (.VCF) file can be created, containing the contact and other information usually found on a paper business card. The .VCF file can be distributed to other parties in an electronic form, such as by posting on a computer network or by sending the .VCF file as an attachment in an e-mail message. The other parties can then download the information contained in the .VCF file in a variety of information management systems, such as Microsoft Outlook or IBM Lotus Notes, for example. Electronic .VCF files, however, still require manual entry to be created. Manual entry can be time-consuming and may introduce errors into the information that is entered.
There are a number of commercially available business card scanners that can convert the information on hardcopy business cards into an electronic form, such as an electronic image or .VCF file. However, this process also requires time, as the cards must be manually placed into the scanner. In addition, these scanners are generally designed for business cards and are not adapted for processing invitations, envelopes, or other types of printed materials. Further, the image quality provided by optical scanning systems is generally not as high as desired.
Electronic business information may also be available in web-based databases. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,158 discloses an accessible electronic service and method for organizing contact information entered by members. The member can enter their contact information and other parties with access to a website containing the information can access and download the contact information to their computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,654,768 discloses an information management tool that enables a user to enter an identification number to access contact information of another user in an internet-accessible database. The user identification can be printed on a business card and distributed to other parties.
PCT Publication No. WO 01/10653 discloses a business card arranged to enable access to a computer network for retrieving information that is associated with the business card. It may be done automatically, by a chip on the card, or manually by entering a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). Users can download the information to their computer. PCT Publication No. WO 02/25403 is directed to a method of automatically updating contact information. A publisher updates the information in the database. The service subscribers associated with the publisher receive new information as it is updated.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,000 discloses a system in which a Universal Contact Locator (UCL) is encoded onto a business card, the UCL is entered into a client program, and the program can access a database with contact information, news, and advertising that is associated with the client. The information can then be exported to the client's computer.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0093317 discloses a system for controlling, distributing and receiving contact information including a central hub. The hub maintains the information and transmits the requested information to a requesting terminal means.
The presently available systems and methods are generally limited to providing access to a remote database containing an electronic version of an individual or business's contact and other information and provide little or no connection to hardcopy, printed business cards and other printed information media. Conventional printed business card designs, however, have inherent deficiencies in information management without manual information transfer and management. To protect the accuracy and integrity of the information, manual transfers should be reduced or eliminated.
Further, an opportunity exists to expand the process of printing business cards and other objects to create an information management system. Accordingly, there is a need for a system to integrate and manage information from a pre-printing stage to a post-printing stage of business card and other printed object creation.